We are One
by Devon Williams
Summary: Harry and the other Champions had never truly argued over his involvement in the tournament only accepting that it simply was. How would things be different if that weren't the case
1. Chapter 1

Had anyone told Fleur Delacour that she would be the Champions for Beauxbatons she would have said that she was the only choice, but had they said some scrawny little boy would have been a champion as well then she would have only scoffed at such a notion, but that was exactly what had happened; not only had Hogwarts ( what a silly name she thought with a sneer) gotten a champion in Cedric Diggory, but they had also gotten another in the form of one Harry Potter.

She had heard stories about the boy whispered between the children of this school and did not for one moment believe them. They were nothing more than utter fantasy. Tales of how he had killed a teacher who was after some grand treasure that had been hidden within untold corners of the castle or how he had slain a near thousand year old basilisk with naught more than a sword and his wand, or even how he had fended off more than one hundred Dementors with the patronus charm (something that no child his age was even capable of).

There was no doubt in her mind that the boy was wholly incapable of any of the things that he had supposedly done. He was waifishly thin resembling little more than a vagabond beneath the robes that he wore, and when he was without them he seemed to be nothing more than a stick with little muscle and no fat to speak of.

The boy's eyes were a such a fierce green that one might mistake his gaze for the light of a killing curse, and his hair resemble a rat's nest more than anything else. However while Fleur believed the boy was not champion material there was something about him that on some level scared her. She could sense that there was something lying beneath his exterior of a weak and innocent child, but she would not let it get to her. She needed to know how such a folly had befell the tournament that was to be her rise to fame.

"Madame Maxime!" Fleur shouted as she turned to her headmistress "Zey are saying that zis leetle boy is to compete too?!"

The headmistress sneered at Dumbledore who was standing behind Harry with a hand on his shoulder, but she did not get a word out nor had Dumbledore, instead it was Harry who spoke.

"I did not put my name in that damn cup." he said through gritted teeth in the most even tone that he could muster. "And I do not want to compete."

His voice might have been level but there was that fleeting power within it that Fleur had sensed earlier. She took a small nearly unnoticeable step back in an attempt to steady herself and hide her nervousness.

Viktor Krum on the other hand had no qualms dealing with the boy. "You say you don't vant to compete, but vhy should ve believe you? Many more vould do anything to be in your position."

The glare that Harry sent toward Viktor would have had any lesser being writhing in fear, but the Bulgarian held his ground. "Why would I want to compete? For fame? Eternal glory? Money?" the boy spat with barely concealed bubbling anger. "Those things mean nothing to me. I have been famous and seen what that fame does and I want nothing of, and eternal glory? The only eternal glory is people remembering that you died for it. I for one an not looking forward to an early grave."

Harry made to say more but was cut off as the door opened revealing Serverus Snape and Minerva McGonagall. Dumbledore seized this moment of silence.

"Harry did you put your name in the goblet of fire?" his voice was crisp and his tone was sharp with hidden turmoil.

"No." Harry said. He could feel the eyes of everyone around him boring into him but he brushed them off. He was not going to falter beneath the gaze of anyone.

Snape made a soft noise of disgust and disbelief.

"Did you ask one of the older students to put it in for you?" Dumbledore asked while sending the offending potion's professor a stern glare

"No." this time Harry had to force back the flood gates of anger that he felt but he managed causing his answer to come out as more vehement disbelief that he was still being question rather than the rage that ate at him.

"Ze boy is lying!" cried out Madame Maxime.

Professor McGonagall whom had not said anything nor even moved gave the woman a cold look. "Mr. Potter could not have possibly bypassed the age line" she said in a sharp tone that brokered no room for argument (or it would have had the others not ignored it). "We can all agree that it is beyond his-"

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line." The half giantess refused to back from her argument.

"It is possible of course." Dumbledore said politely in an attempt to defuse the situation, though it did not work.

"Honestly Dumbledore you know that you did not make a mistake with the blasted line!" McGonagall all but shouted with anger in her throat. "Now listen we know that Mr. Potter could not have bypassed the line on his own and Dumbledore is quite sure that he did not coerce any of the older students that are of age to do it for him, so I think that should be good enough for the rest of you lot!"

Snape opened his mouth and McGonagall subtlety gripped her wand while giving him an angry look. He wisely let his words die on his lips.

"Mr. Crouch... Mr. Bagman" Igor Karkaroff spoke in his novel insincere tone " You are the impartial judges of this event surely you understand that this is most... irregular."

Bagman looked out of his depth with sweat rolling down his baby fat laden face. He took a handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiped his brow but did not speak instead he turned toward Mr. Crouch.

The older man did not seem as if he had heard any of the arguing that had gone on. It was as though he was in his own world. The light from the torches that adorned the room only illuminated half his face while the other half was obscured by a vaguely eerie line of shadow that gave his visage a rather gaunt skull like appearance that was most unpleasant.

He glanced up from the spot on the floor that he had been looking at for a moment and then he gazed around the room. "We must follow the rules" he began in a curt and polite tone. "and the rules clearly state that any who's name comes out of the Goblet must surely compete less they loose their magic." though the politeness of his manner was most refreshing to Dumbledore and the others who were suffering under the barely concealed waves of anger it did little to cover the dread that the words brought to Harry.

"Well Barty knows the rules front to back." Bagman said scarcely holding back the sigh of relief that he felt. He beamed at the others as though the entire matter was behind them.

"I don't care what the damned rulebook says I demand that we resubmit the names." it was Karkaroff who spoke dropping his insincere tone and smile. There was no need for it anymore and the others had never for a moment believed it to be more than a mask. "The Goblet of fire will be relit and we will continue adding names until each school has two Champions its only fair."

"Mr. Karkaroff it doesn't work like that." said Bagman once again adopting his patented look of horror. "The Goblet has already gone out and cannot be reignited until the start of the next tournament-"

"Which Durmstang will most certainly not be competing in!" Karkaroff swept the entire room with a dirty glare. "After all our meetings and negotiations I had little faith to believe something of this nature would occur. I've half a mid to leave this blasted place now!"

"We all know you can't do that Karkaroff." a grime voice came from the door. Wistfully the flames grew slightly allowing the light to reach that corner of the room revealing the gnarled face of Mad-Eye Moody. The mutilated Auror limped further into the room. "You can't leave your champion, none of them can go. As Crouch said its a binding magical contract. He's got to compete... they've all got to compete."

The man's electric blue eye whizzed around the room lingering on each occupant for only a moment before reaching another, and finally coming to rest on the sordid face of Karkaroff "Convenient isn't it?"

Karkaroff sneered "Convenient? What are you getting at Moody?" His stance was defensive and he had to resist the urge to point his wand at the maddened dog before him.

Cedric could only scowl darkly at everything going on. He had not spoken, but it was not because he had not wanted to. It more had to do with the fact that he believed Harry. He knew the boy more than anyone there (save perhaps Dumbledore and McGonagall), and even though it was only in passing he knew that the boy wanted nothing to do with the fame that they were competing for.

He wanted to say something finally, but any words that he could have said were stuck in his throat as he noticed Harry. The boy had already been practically glowing with rage, but at the tone of Karkaroff as he addressed Moody the boy was unconsciously clenching and unclenching his left fist while his right hand slowly made its way to his pocket where he surely kept his wand.

Moving quickly Cedric made his way to the boy's back a spot which Dumbledore had vacated in order to better position himself between Moody and Karkaroff. He slowly laid a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. Harry gave a small gasp of surprise and turned sharply to meet his eyes. Cedric gave the Gryffindor's shoulder a squeeze and the boy relaxed his hands only a bit. The only ones who seemed to notice the interaction between the two Hogwart's champions were Fleur and Viktor.

The others were far too engrossed in how close Moody and Karkaroff seemed to be to ripping each others throats out.

"You don't get it Karkaroff?" Moody's eye seemed to be boring into the man's very soul. "Even you aren't that dimwitted. Someone put the boy's name in the Goblet knowing he'd have to compete if his name came out."

"Of course it was someone 'oo wanted 'Owarts to 'ave another bite of ze apple!" Madame Maxime exclaimed to catch everyone's attention. Moody's eye never left the Durmstrang headmaster even as he turned to face Maxime.

"I agree with the Madame." Karkaroff said a little of the oil returning to his voice as he spoke. "I will be lodging a complaint with the Ministry and the International Confederation of Wizards. Justice will be done."

"If anyone has a right to complain its Potter." Moody growled out.

"And I am complaining." Cedric's hand had done more for him than he could have hoped. While it had not quelled his rage it had at least taken the edge out of it. "How can there be four champions when there are only three schools competing?"

"Why are you complaining?" Fluer shouted finally taking the chance to get another word in. "You 'ave a chance that any would die for! We 'ave been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! To represent our schools and bring zem 'onor and glory!"

Harry rounded on her his eyes gleaming with unmistakable fury. "I told you I want nothing to do with this tournament! Nothing! I only want to go back to my dorm and have a normal year for once, but now I have no choice but to risk my life with you." he gave a sigh and his voice softened a bit. "Don't you know that I can die in this? That you can die in this?"

"Maybe someone's hoping that you will die for it Potter." Moody said without any of the menace that he had been speaking with before.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Harry said softly.

There was an intense silence at those words. It was oppressive and it choked all in the room but none managed the will to break it for quite a few moments.

"Professor vhy vould you say that?" it was Viktor who finally managed to bring words forth. The way that Potter had seemed to accept the fact that someone might be out to kill him did not bode well with the Quidditch star. There was something about it that had to be addressed but the adults did not seem to be concerned with it... other than Bagman but he was more a man child then a man.

Before Moody could answer Karkaroff cut in. "We all know that Moody considers everyone and everything a plot, and that its a waste of the day if he hasn't discovered at least six murder plots before he's had lunch." the man eyed Harry. "And apparently he's trying to pass that paranoia onto a student. Fearing assassination what an odd quality to have in a Defense teacher."

Moody's face contorted into something savage and the champions could surely understand the fear that he struck in those who crossed wands with him. "Imagining things am I Karkaroff? Seeing things am I?" the menace had returned a thousand fold and Harry had to look around the room to ensure it was not a Dementor that was causing the temperature to drop. "Only a truly skilled witch or wizard could have put the boy's name in the Goblet-"

"'Ow can you be so sure of zat?" Olympe cried out throwing up her hands in frustration.

Moody whirled to face her so fast that one would be hard pressed to have seen him move. "Because headmistress..." he gritted out slowly. "whoever put his name into the Goblet confunded a powerful magical object into believing that there were four champions to compete. They likely had to make ti believe that there were four schools and Potter's name was submitted under the forth so that it was guaranteed to come out."

"You seem to have given this a great deal of though Moody." Karakroff said having regain some of his composure. "A very exciting theory it is, but I seem to recall you thought someone had sent you a disguised basilisk egg as a birthday present and you destroyed it only to discover it was a carriage clock, so forgive me if I am disinclined to believe your mad ramblings."

Moody once again turned to face the man. "You cant trust everything in front of you, and it is my job to put myself into the shoes of dark wizards Karkaroff... as you ought to remember."

"Alastor!" Dumbledore spoke (it came out as more of a shout) warningly. Harry wondered for the briefest of moments about whom Dumbledore was speaking to be fore realizing that it was likely Moody's first name.

The retired Auror fell silent though he still watched Karkaroff's face which had turned an angry shade of red.

"We do not know how this came to be..." Dumbledore began speaking in a voice that garnered the attention of all around him. "but both Mr. Potter and Mr. Diggory have been chosen to compete in the tournament, and as such they will."

"But Dumbly-dorr.." Dumbledore held up a hand to stop the headmistress where she started.

"Madame if you have an alternative I would be most delighted to hear it."

He waited for her to speak but she did not. She only glared, an d she was not alone. Snape who had not gotten a word out look furious and it was as though Karkaroff wanted nothing more than to murder someone.

Bagman looked excited now that the arguing was over. "Now then lets get started. Got to give the instructions out. Barty would you do the honor's?"

Crouch who seemed to be once again observing the darkened floor looked up with slightly glassed eyes. "Yes instructions..." he seemed more than a little lost but once again the adults of the room seemed to ignore while the champions could only wonder what was wrong with the man.

He moved out of the darkness and they could think that he must have been ill. There were thick bags underneath his eyes, dark marks on his skin, and his skin was deathly pale.

"The first task will test your daring." he said facing the champions. Somehow they had moved closer together. Cedric's hand had never left Harry's shoulder, and Fleur and Viktor were nearly touching the Hogwarts duo.

"To that effect we are not going to tell you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is a quality that is of the utmost importance in a champion. The task will be held on the twenty-fourth of November in front of the student body, guests, and the panel of judges. Champions will not be afforded any help nor should they accept any, and they may only be armed with their wands during the task. In addition owing to the time consuming nature of the tournament all champions are exempt from any final exams."

Crouch turned to Dumbledore and spoke a few words but the champions paid them no attention. Viktor decided that it was time to figure things out. "Potter do you really think that someone vould vant to kill you?"

Harry almost shrugged Cedric's hand of his shoulder but he didn't. He had never been one for contact of the physical sort but the older boy's hand was so soothing, almost like there was something mystical about it.

"I would think so. It happened first year, and second year everyone was in danger, and I know you all heard about the Black situation." Cedric was more than a little unnerved about how the boy talked about things. While he had not been privy to the happenings of the boy's first year he knew the terror and fear of the basilisk and Black first hand.

"Are we really supposed to believe at zat someone is out to kill you?" Fleur had not meant for her tone to come out so condescending but the boy in front of her looked helpless there was no chance that someone would want to kill him nor would he be able to defend himself should it happen.

"What could I give you to make you believe me?" he felt so angry but he did not want take it out on Fleur nor Viktor.

"If you gave a magical vow I vould believe you" Viktor said. Fleur nodded in agreement. Cedirc did not like the fact that they were asking for something like that but he understood where they were coming from.

Harry gave a sigh. He knew what a magical vow was and how to give one, but he had never done so. However if giving one would make them believe him then he would do it.

He drew his wand and held it over his heart. "I Harry James Potter do hereby swear on my magic that I did face Voldemort for the Philosopher's stone, that I did kill a Basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor, that I did fend off more than one hundred Dementors with a single patronus, and that I did not put my name in the Goblet of fire." there was a flash of golden light as the vow took hold, and then the boy turned to face the end of the galley opposite the one the teachers had gathered on.

 **"Expecto Patronum"** he swished his wand and thought of his happiest memory. A bright white light sprang forth from his wand and settled before condensing to form a regal stag.

He turned back to the other three champions. "Now do you believe me?"


	2. Chapter 2

Before any of the Champions could respond to the vow or the patronus the boy had cast the adults in the room decided to finally take notice, though the stag had long dispersed before they had turned their heads.

Madame Maxime came over to the group first wrapping a great arm around one of Fleur's shoulders and beginning to speak in rapid french to the girl who listened distractedly as she turned and looked at the other three champions. The look spoke volumes and they all knew that things were nowhere near over.

Karkaroff was next though he did not touch Viktor, instead he simply beckoned to the young man. There was a bit of reluctance but Harry shot him a soft but disarming smile, and he understood that there was a time and a place for what he wanted but the time had not yet come.

As Viktor and Karkaroff left in silence Dumbledore turned to Harry and Cedric. His face held none of the turmoil that he had felt earlier though neither of the boys was quite convinced that he was feeling even a bit of the joviality that he was showing.

"Harry, Cedric I think it is time that the two of you went up to your dorms." He spoke with a smile. "I dare say that Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are awaiting the arrival of their champions and who would we be to deprive them of this excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise?"

Sensing the dismissal for what it was the two boys shared a look and turned to leave. As they left Harry went to go down a separate hall before Cedric grabbed his arm lightly "We still need to talk."

Harry sighed. "I know we do but I'm sure the others want to know what happened as well. So I will talk but not now."

He took his glasses off for a moment and wiped them with his shirt. The lens weren't dirty, but it was a something he did when he was contemplating, though he did not do it in front of Ron and Hermione because he was often focusing on having fun with them, and rarely had time to lapse into deep thought.

"Right now I need to deal with the fallout of my name coming out of the Goblet, and you need to celebrate with your house." Cedric did not know what came over him but he could see that the boy was more distressed than he let on but for some reason that Cedric was daft to he insisted on putting up a strong front, so the Hufflepuff did the only thing that he could think of to comfort the boy; he scooped Harry into a hug.

It was not the bone of the crushing nor smothering nature that Hermione and Mrs. Weasley often subjected him to but a soft one. He felt himself melt into it a little before Cedric let him go though he did not release his shoulders. The older boy shifted so that they were staring into each others eyes.

"Harry please take care of yourself. You don't have to pretend to be strong for them. Its okay to cry." At Cedric's words all the frustrations that the dark haired boy had felt came crashing forward and he could not hold back the tear that formed, but he did stop himself from sobbing.

"But I do Cedric... I do." with that he disentangled himself from the soothing touch of the Hufflepuff and turned toward the path to the Gryffindor dorms. Cedric could only stare, but soon he too went about his way.

As he reached the staircase that led to the Fat Lady he took a moment's pause to think about the happenings of that night. He knew that someone had put his name in the Goblet of Fire, and that angered him, but only because it was obviously a plot against his life, but because of the reaction that it had gotten out of the students.

They had known him since the first day that he had stepped foot in Hogwarts, and they knew of the things that he had done and seen, but there was one thing the he was beginning to learn about them: they did not truly care for him, but only what he represented to them It was evident.

In his first year when he had tried to tell Professor McGonagall that someone was after the philosopher's stone she had not believed him, because although to her he represented the legacy of James and Lily Potter he was only a student.

As for the student body he was only the Boy-Who-Lived and nothing more, and while that title carried with it the power of the Light it was easily tainted in their view. Like in second year when he had learned that he was a parseltongue. No one had simply thought he was a boy with a talent, but a dark wizard who was out to kill all those who opposed him. No one tried to see that he was only a small child who was just as scared as they were. They only saw the symbol of the light corrupted by "Dark" magics.

It angered him, but he had to think that this time would be different. They had already seen that he was not evil, and they knew that he was famous, but that he hated being so. His fellow Gryffindors should understand that he would never have put his name in the goblet.

Harry took a breath and began his ascent. When he reached the Fat Lady he swallowed thickly. She was rambling on about something but he ignored it.

"Balderdash." He said the password softly, and he himself barely heard it. The portrait swung open and he stepped through. He almost fell backward when he was hit with a blast of noise.

Before him stood the entirety of Gryffindor house. They were screaming, shouting, and whistling. At the forefront were the Weasley twins.

The two of them rushed forward and picked Harry up and put him on their shoulders. "You should have told us that you entered!" Fred shouted over the noise of the common room. His voice was thick with a mixture of annoyance and awe.

"How did you do it without getting a bread? Bloody Brilliant!" George shouted behind him.

Harry felt his anger once again growing. "I didn't do-"

"Well at least its a Gryffindor even if it couldn't be me." Angelina said with a half smile, half scowl adorning her lips.

"Now you'll be able to get revenge against Diggory for last season!" Katie shrieked. Others were also shouting his way and his self control finally failed him. He wretched himself from the grasp of the twins and glared at everyone around him. He ripped his wand from his pocket and fire off a loud bang.

Abruptly all noise stopped and everyone turned to face him. "I did not put my name in the damn Goblet! So leave me alone and stop celebrating!"

All the Gryffindors were stunned at his actions, but no one managed to say a word as he stalked up to his dorm room. He threw the door open and slammed it behind him hoping that they would get the hint.

He surveyed the room for a moment and noticed that Ron was lying on his bed still fully clothed. He gave a sigh of relief. "Ron I'm glad to see you mate."

Ron turned toward him. "Oh hello." there was almost no emotion in his voice, and Harry inwardly cringed at the obviously strained grin that the red head wore.

"Congratulations." Harry knew that Ron did not mean it, but he could not for the life of him understand what was wrong with the boy.

"Congratulations? Ron you know that I don't want anything to do with this tournament." Ron scoffed at that.

"Come off it Harry. Just tell me how you got your name in the Goblet." he seemed to enter a thoughtful pose for a moment "I mean Fred and George couldn't get over the age line. What'd you use your invisibility cloak?"

Harry took a calming breath. He had already dealt with people who had not believed him about what had happened with the goblet but he had not thought that one of his own friends would be one of those people accusing him of putting his name in it.

"Ron I did not put my name in the Goblet, and the cloak would have never gotten me over that line if I had." he spoke slowly so as to keep his anger in check, though Ron seemed oblivious to his near explosive rage.

"You're right Harry it couldn't have been the cloak because you'd have covered both of us if it had, so I guess you found another way right?"

Harry grit his teeth at the idiocy of his "best friend". "Ron I told you I did not put my name in the Goblet. You know I don't want anything to do with this."

Ron just shook his head. "Look mate you can tell me the truth. I don't see why you keep lying about it. You didn't even get in trouble for putting your name in the cup, and we already know that Dumbledore's letting you enter, so come off it. I mean a thousand galleons and no end of year exams..."

He trailed off as he realized that Harry was glaring at him. "You know what Ron why don't you go out there with them? I don't have time for your jealously."

The red head looked shocked for a moment as his face turned beet red. "I'm jealous?!" he screamed. "I just wanna know why my best mate would leave me out of something as big as this! But I guess I never realized that he was such a bloody prat!"

Ron turned away from Harry and flicked his wand causing the curtains of his bed to close. Harry knew right then and there that he had no need for the Weasley boy anymore. There were bigger things to worry about without him being an ass.


	3. Chapter 3

Fleur walked with a purpose. It had only been a single day since the champions had been chosen, but it felt like ages. Madama Maxime had been bugging her about preparing for the tasks, but she could not. The only thing that she could think about was her fellow champions, particularly Harry.

When he had cast the vow and still be able to use magic she was shocked to her very core. How could someone as young as him be subjected to the torture that he had faced? Was there no protection for the innocent? Apparently not.

Of course that was not the worse part; no the worse part was that no one could see that he sacrificed everything for them. The basilisk was a prime example of that. There was no one else as far as they knew that had tried to do anything about the creature thus forcing the boy to confront it to save the sister of his friend, but what did he get for that? Nothing.

No one saw the hero anymore, and no one believed him. They were far more content to believe that he would cheat his way into something that he wanted nothing to do with. It was infuriating how fickle the children of Hogwarts could be.

Suddenly someone grabbed Fleur by the shoulder. She spun quickly throwing her weight in an attempt to throw her assailant off balance, but they compensated by pulling her close.

"Whoa Fleur calm down." the voice was one that she recognized as Cedric Diggory the Hogwarts champion. She turned her head just a little to confirm that it was him that held her and let out a breath that she had not known that she was holding in.

She was not fond of close contact with people that did not know well. It reminded her of a time when she had nearly been kidnapped by a feeble minded man that could not resist the allure that she expelled.

"Cedric you scared me." the boy abruptly let her go and scratched his head in a sheepish manner. He had not mean to do so, but she had ignored him when he had shouted her name and he had not wanted to make a scene in the middle of the hall.

"I'm sorry Fleur, but I know that you wanted to talk to Harry so I thought it would be better if I took you to him rather than letting you wander around the castle all day."

Fleur had the decency to blush at that statement. She indeed did not know where the boy was, but he nerves and anxiousness had not let he realize it. It would have been wholly embarrassing if she had spent the day meandering about the castle to parts unknown (at least to her).

"Well if you would lead the way." he held back the laughter that threatened to bubble out. He knew that she had not said anything so as not to further mortify herself, but he only found it cute.

He shook his head at that stray thought. Even though most of the guys in his year thought fleur was a bombshell he had not seen her as that way. He was far too engrossed in Cho Chang for that, but now he was beginning to at least see some of what they saw, but he had no time for that. They hd to get to Harry and talk to him.

Fleur followed Cedric as he lead her out of the castle and toward the lake. At first she thought that Harry was taking time to enjoy some alone time out on the grounds, but eventually the duo saw Viktor standing on the shore of the lake with a gaggle of fellow Durmstrang men. Cedric gave them a wave, but it was only returned by Viktor who gave his fellow students a quick gesture of the hand and they dispersed.

"Cedric Fleur vhat a pleasure." he held his hand out for Cedirc to shake and the boy obliged. Fleur held her own hand out and Viktor took it deftly in his and bent to give it a quick kiss.

"So I take it that ve are going to talk with Harry today." Cedric nodded, and he beckoned them to follow him.

Once again the champions found themselves within the castle of Hogwarts. For Viktor this was much different from the previous night. Before he had been looking at the castle with indifference. The castle was something like Durmstrang and the people were just like those students on the superficial level, but he had not been looking around to take in the sights and get to know anyone. He was there to become the champion for his school and bring them honor and glory.

Now he was observing, though not for his own sake. No he wanted to understand why the people around him could treat Harry the way they had. The boy deserved none of their disdain and his participation in the tournament was not his own fault, by they refused to see that. To them he was a trouble making child who could do no wrong and got whatever he wanted. It was baffling how they could view him like that when they saw him everyday.

Eventually Cedric lead his fellow champions up a long staircase that lead the the owlery. He hadn't know if Harry had actually been up there but he had heard that the boy frequented the place whenever he was feeling upset or distressed, and this was probably one of those times.

As luck would have it Harry was indeed in the owlery. He was sitting on one of the windowsills and talking to a large snowy owl that Cedric recognized as Hedwig. They watched the boy silently as he stroked the bird';s feathers.

"And that prat Ron." he spoke softly. "I saved his sister and all he can think about is how I got into the tournament but he didn't. Doesn't he understand that I didn't want that. I'm tired of someone or something trying to kill me every year, but my so called best mate can't even realize that. I guess I must really know how to pick em."

Before he could say more Cedric cleared hit throat. Harry spun around like lighting and had his wand pointed at the trio. There might have been a spell on his tongue, but he let it drop as he realized who they were. He quickly put his wand away.

"I guess you're here for that talk." they all nodded. He sighed and motioned for them to sit. Cedric transfigured them all chairs from random pieces of junk lying around. Harry turned to the door and cast a locking charm and a silencing charm. He knew that it was unfair of him to take away the use of a public room, but there was no way that he was going to chance it with people trying to spy on him so that they could make more juicy rumors.

"So where do you want to start?" he really did not want to talk about anything, but he had promised them. Besides they believed him, and that was something that he needed. He was alone now. His house might have been celebrating last night, but they ignore his feelings. He did no t want to be in the tournament and would have been more content to watch it, but he was forced to face mortal danger again, and all they could think about was how this was the chance for the Gryffindor to become even more famous. It sickened him.

"Vhy did you never go to the teachers?" Viktor asked "Could they not have done what you did?" Harry nearly flinched at the question from the Bulgarian.

"I went to them, but no one listened to me. I was a child who could not possibly know what I was talking about." It hurt him to say that, but he knew it was true. If McGonagall had believed him in his first year he would never have had to face Quirell. If anyone adults had listened to him in his third year then his godfather would have been freed and he would have a true loving family, but no one did. He was either a child, or an attention seeking brat, or some other rubbish.

"Why do you let ze otzer students treat you ze way zey do? They taunt you, speak badly of you, and even make up nasty rumors but you never do anything about." this time Fleur spoke. She understood that some of the things that they were asking or would ask would make him uncomfortable, but she had to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Harry took a deep breath. He could feel something building up inside of himself with ever question, but it was not the anger that he was accustomed to.

"In my second year everyone learned that I am a parsletongue, and they said I was a dark wizard and that I had opened the chamber of secrets. No matter how hard I said it wasn't true they didn't believe me, and the professors were just as bad. Even though they never said I was the heir of Slytherin they never tried to stop the other students from saying it. They allowed them to isolate and alienate me."

Cedric shook his head. "So they left a little boy to fend for himself? Are they really that cruel?"

"Yes they are. I thought this place was my home and even though things happen I keep trying to tell myself that there are people who care for me but then they let things like this happen to me." he felt wetness on his cheeks and suddenly he realized that he was crying.

That was something that he had not done in a very long time. In fact the last time that he remembered himself crying was when he had tried to play with one of Dudley's toys only for the boy to snatch it away and tell Vernon. The whale of a man had cuffed and sent him straight to the cupboard, and while the physical blow had not been incredibly hard (even Vernon would not seriously harm a child) the feeling of being unloved was painful.

"When I first got here things were amazing. I thought that I could finally be with people who would understand me, but I traded one bigoted world for another. One moment I'm a hero and the next moment I'm a villain. I didn't want the fame of the Boy-Who-Lived. I only wanted to be myself, but it seems that that can never happen."

Seeing Harry Potter cry was too much for the champions. Last night he had shown himself to be quite emotionally strong (if a tad on the angry side), but now he seemed to be nothing more than a little boy who only wanted to be accepted.

Fleur quickly got out of her chair and strode over to the distraught boy. She scooped him into a gently hug. She shifted him so that he was in her lap with his face in her neck and she began to sing a song that her mother often sang to her when she was young.

 **Fais dodo, Colas mon p'tit fére**

 **Fais dodo, t'auras du lolo**

 **Maman est en haut**

 **Qui fait des gateaux**

 **Papa est en bas**

 **Qui fait du chocolat**

 **Fais dodo, Colas mon p'tit fére**

 **Fais dodo, t'auras du lolo**

Almost immediately his crying stopped and slowly he drifted off to sleep. She sang softly for a few more minutes and when she felt that he was well and truly asleep she stood with surprising strength.

"Cedric ez zere anywhere else zat we can take him? I don't want anyone to see him like this." Cedric nodded and turned to the door. Viktor had already undid the charms that they had put on it when Harry had fallen asleep, because he was of the same mind as Fleur. The boy was a trooper, but he could not keep the mask up forever. It was best that they separated him from those who would do him harm (physically or mentally).

The blonde Hufflepuff led them to an empty classroom that he knew was unused. They applied the same charms to the door as they had the owlery and Viktor transfigured a bed. Fleur gently laid the boy into it. He looked so different in his sleep. He was not the boy who had to be a hardened man to protect himself from those around him, but the could be the child that he had wanted to be.

Without a word Fleur pulled the covers of the bed back and gently slid into it. She put an arm around Harry and drew him close. He struggled for a moment before snuggling into her. Cedric and Viktor could only look at her.

"Ze people of this school are fools. He needs love and care, not to be ridiculed and treated like an outcast." she whispered so as not to awaken the boy.

"Yea I know, but are you sure we should be doing this? Shouldn't we leave it to the teachers?" he knew that they would disapprove of that, but he was only bringing it up because he wasn't sure if they could provide that for the boy. He was in obvious need of someone who cared for him, but could they be the ones? They had only really just met him.

As though reading Cedric's thoughts Viktor replied. "Ve may not have known him long but ve can see the need of this child. Those teachers of yours have had years to give him the affection that he deserves, but they allow him to be treated with contempt by those around him. If you vere in his shoes vould you trust them or people who have at least tried to do the right thing?"

Cedric sighed. "I guess you're right."

Viktor let the conversation drop and conjured two chairs. He and Cedric made to sit, but Fleur gave them an odd look.

"What?" Asked Cedric

"Why are you two seeting in chairs? Isn't it uncomfortable to sleep like zat?"

"Well I wasn't planning on taking a nap right now." the hufflepuf replied

"Neither vas I."

Fleur scoffed. "You two shoud lie down it would be better zan looming over the boy when he awakes."

Cedric blushed. "We only have room for one bed Fleur, and you two are already in it."

"Then get in. We are not going to be doing anything inappropriate, so it shouldn't matter."

There was an awkward silence, and Fleur thought for a moment that she had said the wrong thing. But she really was only thinking about how Harry would feel. Plus Viktor and Cedric did not turn into idiots whenever she talked so she was sure that they would be fine to share a bed with her.

Finally Viktor climbed into the bed without a word and tucked himself closely to Fleur's side. Cedric seeing decided not to fight it and also climbed into the bed but he was on Harry's side. Harry stirred for a moment and Fleur began to sing again so that he would stay asleep. Before any of them knew it they were joining him in the realm of dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry awoke to warmth. It was not the kind that made you sweaty and uncomfortable, but a gentle warmth that caressed your entire body and gave you a feeling of protection. He tried to snuggle into it.

He took a deep breath and was awarded with the mixed aroma of sweet newly bloomed honey suckle, freshly opened broom polish, and ozone. He did not know what could smell like that, but it was a delicious mixture that eased his tired mind and weary body. The scent took him away from all the talk of the tournament and the torment that he is sure will be forced to endure, and soon he finds himself once again drifting off.

Viktor awakes next. He is not startled nor surprised by his condition. He remembers all that happened earlier that day (or perhaps yesterday). He looked down and observed the position that they were all in. Harry was in the middle of them cuddled to Fleur's left. His tiny (for his age) hands intertwined with her waist. Cedric was on Harry's left with an arm protectively around the child, while Fleur was doing the same on his right side.

Viktor smiled before his bladder made itself known. With a slight bit of effort he gently pried Fleur's arm from around him and slipped out of the covers and off the bed. There was no bathroom connected to the room so he would have to venture out into the castle, though that did not bother him.

When Viktor left the room the shut the door as lightly as he could and cast a strong notice-me-not charm on it along with several powerful locking charms that only worked from the outside. With a nod to himself he ventured to the loo.

Cedric was the next to awaken. He had first opened his eyes when Viktor left the bed, but he did not say anything. To him the morning was something to be preserved. He had dreamt about what he would find when he finally became aware of the world again, and he could not help but fear it a little.

He was not afraid of waking to his fellow champions, but more so failing them. He was a Hufflepuff and if there was anything to the house it was loyalty and honesty, and as he looked at the visage of Harry Potter he knew that the boy had both in spades. It made him only want to protect the boy even more, but within him there was the fear that he and the other champions might fail

While they were adults by the standards of magic they had never had so much responsibility (maybe Viktor had but he doubted that Quidditch compared) heaped upon thmemselves. Taking care of someone else was not something that he was sure he was ready for, but he knew that Fleur and Viktor were right. There was no one else that could do it. The teachers did not seem to truly care for the young child, leaving him to fend for himself in his times of need, and the other students would only laugh at his pain.

He gave a sigh and looked over to the other two occupants of the bed, and deep gray met dark blue. Fleur was awake. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Her had was lazily stroking Harry's hair, and the Gryffindor was unconsciously leaning into the touch. He knew that the boy was not a true fan of physical contact so he found that odd, but then again his on touch had not been denied yesterday.

"'E looks so vulnerable in ez sleep." she said softly as he smiled turned sad. He swallowed.

"I know. He has to be so strong, but to see him like this..." he trailed off. There were no words for it really. Fleur only nodded.

As she lay there she thought about the other champions. In truth the situation that they found themselves in was not something that she had ever though could happen. A fourth champion had been preposterous, yet it had happened. At first her anger had burned brightly. It was unfair that one of the schools would get another to represent them, but when she finally accepted the truth that Harry did not want to participate she was scared for him.

He was so young and no matter what he had done before there was still a chance that he could die. He had his entire life ahead of him, and now because of some cruel person he was forced to fight for it.

"What are we going to do?" before she could answer the door opened revealing Viktor. He gave the two of them a smile and sat down on the bed next to Fleur where he had slept.

His face was rather neutral, though his brows were knitted tightly together in what could be thought. "Yes vhat are ve going to do?"

Fleur sighed. She knew this was coming but that did not make it any easier. There were so many things that they could do, and so many reasons why they should not do any of those things. It would be easier that way. To just abandon the child to the fates, but that would be unacceptable. She herself had faced prejudice and persecution however within the walls of Beauxbatons it had been minimal because she had the protections of people who cared for her. Harry did not have that.

"I think we soud take care of im." she said with only slight hesitation. She knew they needed to do this.

"And the tournament?" once again Viktor spoke. He wore a calculating expression, and his eyes were alight with some emotion that she could not place.

"Is the damn tournament worth the innocence of a child?" Cedric growled. He was not going to sit idly by this time. He had been silent far too long. He still remembered the Quidditch match last year where he bested Harry, but he had been a fool them. The boy had been accosted by dementors, and instead of trying to help him he had been so focused on the damn game. He had been so sick with himself afterwards.

"Not it is not, but ve must have a plan"

Fleur nodded. "Viktor is right. We must do somezing, but we must truly think long and 'ard of what." there was silence

They were right. There was no reason for them to rush into things. If they failed them Harry would once again be left out to dry by his own so called friends, but what could they do. They had no claim to him beyond his own preference for them. He knew that Harry was grateful for them being the only people to believe him. In fact that was the only thing that they had going for them besides the fact that they were over-age.

Cedric blinked. He realized something. "What is one of us blood adopts him?"

Viktor shook his head. "Ve can't. Only heads of households can do that. "

'I think I know of a way." Fleur said. The two looked at her questioningly. She smiled that brilliant smile that made their hearts flutter, but they forced the feeling down.

"If 'e ez old enough to compete zen 'e ez old enough to get married non?"

The silence was deafening, and once again Fleur had to fight the urge to blush in embarrassment. She did not know what made her feel so self conscious around the two of them and Harry.

Cedric was the first to recover. "That sounds like a good idea actually. If you married him then you would be his guardian until he comes of age."

"Yes but how vould ve get the marriage to go through. Ve cannot use any legal channels. The British government vould shoot down any attempts before they could get very far." even though he was playing the devil's advocate he was still holding onto the hope that there was a chance that it could work.

"Actually there is a ritual that I know." Cedric said. Fleur and Viktor each raised an eyebrow. He chuckled. "My parents taught it to me when I got home last summer. It's been in the family for generations and it was time that I learned it. They didn't tell me why it was in the family, but you know the saying about gift horses."

Fleur and Viktor laughed wholeheartedly. There was as tiring on the bed and the two realized that Harry was awake. How long he had been so was a mystery, but it may have been before the laughter.

Green eyes looked up and scanned them all. He locked eyes with Fleur. The quarter veela smiled at him. She decided the she was going to just go for it. She was going to ask him when he awoke anyway.

"Arry." she began "Do you want us to protect you?" the young boy only looked at her his eyes wide with confusion.

No one had ever tried to protect him. Sure Ron and Hermione had tagged along with him on his adventures, but that was different. They had not tried to protect him from the hateful stares and glares, nor given him comfort when he felt overwhelmed by the hurtful words. In fact he found himself protecting them more often than not.

"I would like that." the words were life changing, but no one knew it then.

Fleur turned to Cedric. The blond haired man slipped off the bed. He drew his wand. Fleur got up too and gently coaxed Harry to do the same.

Once all the champions were off the bed Cedric vanished it. Once that was done he pointed his wand towards the floor and drew a circle. He motioned for Fleur and Harry to stand in it.

Harry looked at the circle. He did not know why he trusted the other three the way he did, but it just felt natural. He had not even felt like that about Ron and Hermione when he had first me them.

Fleur and Harry stood in the circle and Cedric again waved his wand. He turned to Viktor and whispered something in his ear. The bulgarian nodded and drew his wand as well. A golden light came from it and formed itself into a rope. One end of the rope wound itself around Harry's forearm and the other did the same around Fleur's.

"Do you Harry take Fleur to by your wife?" the Hufflepuff asked. Harry gulped nervously. He did not know her that well but his he knew that this was one of his only chacnes to have at least some sort of happiness.

"I do."

"Do you Fleur take Harry to be your husband?"

"I do." there was no hesitation from Fleur.

"Then by the power of magic I now pronounce you man and wife."

The golden rope from Viktor's wand tightened around them and drew them to together, and there was a bright flash of light. The rope disappeared and the newly wed couple glowed for a few moments.

Cedric smiled at his work, but then something happened/. The glow from around the two faded and suddenly Cedric and Viktor found it hard to stand or even stay conscious. They tried to fight it, but it was no use.

The four champions of the Tri-Wizard tournament all collapsed on the floor of some unused classroom. None would know what had happened not even themselves.

The last thought before darkness enveloped Cedric was 'what have I done?'


End file.
